pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: senseless


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On the Tablets

Readings: Proverbs 6 and 7

‭Proverbs 6:20-21 – “My son, keep your father’s command; don’t abandon your mother’s instruction. Bind them on your heart for all time.”

Chapters 6 and 7 share some common themes: keeping close the wisdom given to us and avoiding the adulterous “other.” This “mysterious woman” and no “handsome man” speak of the culture and time in which these words were written. Both chapters also urge us to write wisdom on our hearts – the core of who we are.

Chapter 6 begins with the dangers of allowing our word (or our integrity) to stand for another who may lack these things. The author contrasts the hard-working ant with the lazy person. Only one leads to poverty or disaster. Chapter 6 also includes a list of behaviors “detestable” to God. This list includes lying, arrogance, causing conflict, and senseless violence. One could add adultery too. The author writes, “Can a man scoop fire into his lap and his clothes not get burned?” What a wise question!

Chapter 7 begins with the encouragement to hold tight to wisdom, to bind it on our hearts. Most of the chapter deals with the “mysterious woman.” The writer notes that the “naive young man” falls to her words of seduction, which leads only to shame and death. This chapter notes that this woman lies in wait at every corner. And at every age and stage in our lives. The lies that she tells just change, working on our particular weaknesses at moment in our lives.

Writing God’s will and ways on the tablets of our hearts, keeping them ever before us, is essential to our walk of faith. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, your words written on our hearts remind us of the path we are to walk. Empower us with the Holy Spirit’s guidance so that we do not walk the path that leads to death. Hold tightly to our hand as we seek to walk in faith and trust. Amen.


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In Those Days…

Readings: Judges 17, Judges 18, Judges 19, Judges 20, Judges 21

Judges 21:25 – “In those days there was no king in Israel; each person did what they thought to be right.”

Photo credit: Nick Fewings

I got done reading today’s five chapters and just thought, “Wow…” Could Israel’s downward spiral get any worse? I read the last verse in Judges and thought, “How true.” Yes, God is consulted and at times God is actually present, but overall their actions are about as far from righteous and holy as they could be.

We begin with Micah setting up his own sanctuary, finding a wandering Levites priest to be his priest. Dan’s search for land brings spies into contact with this Levite. They end up abducting him and they take all of Micah’s sanctuary things for themselves. They find Laish – a happy little community living in their own little corner of the world. They totally wipe Laish out and take the area as their own. They set up their own sanctuary there.

That same Levite marries a secondary wife from his hometown of Bethlehem. Traveling home from retrieving this wayward wife, they stay in Gibeah. In a scene reminiscent of Lot’s experience in Sodom, the secondary wife is given to the depraived Benjamites, who leave her for dead. The Levite takes her body home, cuts it into 12 pieces, and sends it to the 12 tribes, basically asking, ‘What are you going to do about this?’ Benjamin refuses to give up the men of Gibeah and civil war ensues. 50,000 Benjamites die and 40,000 Israelites die. The Israelites burn down all the Benjamite cities, killing everything. The 600 men who escaped to the rock in the desert are all that is left of the tribe of Benjamin. Sitting in the brink of eliminating one of the 12 tribes, the rest of Israel pledges to not let any of their women marry a Benjamite. Their solution to saving Benjamin is to massacre the one community that didn’t participate in all of this horrid violence, except the virgins. These are given to the men of Benjamin. But they’re not enough. So they steal a few more wives from the unsuspecting Israelite community of Shiloh – while they are worshipping the Lord.

Indeed, “In those days there was no king in Israel; each person did what they thought to be right.”

Prayer: Lord God, what total and utter depravity. It makes me shudder. It is hard to fathom how far the people of God have fallen. You have a presence – allowing just enough guidance to one day work good out of all this horrid history. I am thankful that you always have a plan, even in the midst of such as this. Amen.


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God Is There

Reading: Matthew 2:13-23

Verse 18: “A voice is heard… weeping and great mourning… refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

Photo credit: Tyler Milligan

Today the story of Jesus’ early days continues. Although Jesus and family flee to safety, many families are not so fortunate. As is still the case today, Jesus’ life is intertwined with ours. Herod, out of anger and fear, has all the baby boys under two killed in and around Bethlehem. This act fulfills a prophecy from Jeremiah 31 that, in part, speaks these words: “A voice is heard… weeping and great mourning… refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” Families and neighbors cry and grieve for the lost children. In their grief, God draws near.

Today in our world children are still the victims of senseless violence. Whether it is a school shooting or a bomb dropped on a neighborhood in Ukraine or gang violence in the city or another tragedy around our southern border, families and neighbors weep and mourn for lost children this very hour. Just as the people of Bethlehem refused to be comforted, so too do mothers, fathers, friends, and neighbors today. To shed tears is to remember, to honor, to celebrate a life. To mourn is the hold on. Weeping and mourning are part of the grief process. Our tears bring healing in time. Our tears are also a reminder of God’s presence with us.

When tears do not stop, when the pain does not cease, when sleep will not come, the only thing we can do is to hold onto God’s presence. There we can sense and feel God’s love for us, right there in our grieving. God is there and understands because Christ walked through the pain and sorrow and brokenness of this world. God is there with us. May we hold onto Immanuel, God with us.

Prayer: Lord God, comfort, o comfort all who are grieving and hurting. Be present to all who mourn, whatever the situation. Enter into their lives just as you entered into this world. Be present in the pain and sorrow. Pour out your love and tender, healing mercies. Bind up what the world has torn apart. And, Lord, lead me to offer presence and peace, comfort and strength, light and love to those who mourn and weep. Amen.


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Reaching Out

Reading: Psalm 91:14-16

Verse 14: “Because he [or she] loves me, I will rescue him [or her].”

Turning to the second half of this week’s Psalm 91 reading, we hear God’s words of love to us. Often it is hard to seek refuge. We are hard-wired to compete, to excell, to rise to the occasion. For some it is very hard to step outside the persona of self-made, rugged individual. Winners make it through; losers ask for help.

But sometimes the storm capsizes our boat and tosses us out into the raging sea. The choice becomes reach out or drown. At that place almost everyone stretches out a hand. There are many events or things that can bring us to this point – an incurable diagnosis, a tragic natural disaster, a senseless act of humanity, an addiction. All are things we’d avoid if we could. But at times we cannot avoid what has happened or is happening. We cannot control the situation, never mind the outcome. Those who refuse to stretch out a hand suffer a hard fate.

In verse 14 God says, “Because he [or she] loves me, I will rescue him [or her].” God is the one who takes the outstretched hand. God is the one who pulls us out of the raging waters. Rescue might not look like we think it should look. But God’s plan is always better. Now, God might use someone to extend that reach, to help one who is almost drowning, to begin the connection to God. This might be you. It might be me. Are we prepared to partner with God in someone’s time of need?

Prayer: Lord God, in the storms of life, you are steady and sure, loving and strong. When I get there, remind me to reach out quickly. When another needs a hand, guide me to reach out quickly too. Amen.


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Lead in Light and Love

Reading: Jeremiah 4:11-12 and 22-28

Verse 22: “My people are fools; they do not know me… They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good.”

As I read and reflect on these words in Jeremiah 4, there is a sadness. It is a sadness both for the people of God in Jeremiah’s day and a sadness for our time as well. In the opening two verses God tells Israel that a “scorching wind” is coming. It will not be to “winnow or cleanse” however. It is a destroying wind that comes from the north. In our time it feels like the scorching wind comes from the edges, from the extremes.

Verse 22 sums up the state of the people. Here God says, “My people are fools; they do not know me… They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good.” This is quite the charge. The people of God have chosen idols over God, evil over good. They are now like “senseless children.” These words mirror our society today. Our nation as a whole has lost its connection to God and to faith. We have become like senseless children, intent on getting our own way, no matter who it hurts, not the least bit interested in other people’s perspectives. We, as a nation, have grown faithless, becoming polarized and divided along the way.

Verses 23-26 present an interesting image. Using the language of the creation story found in Genesis 1, here God deconstructs the story. It is a regression story now. Just as the people have regressed in their faith and in their actions, so too will the earth regress. The light, the people, the plants and animals – they will all be gone. All will be a desert, left in ruins. It is where that path of evil and selfish behavior leads – to death and destruction.

This image does not have to be the end of our collective story. We can learn to do good, to honor the other, to understand and value differing perspectives. We can once again seek to build up, choosing not to tear down and create division. We can extend a hand instead of a fist, a smile instead of a scowl. We, as the people of God, can lead, letting the light and love of God guide our words, thoughts, and actions. It is a choice. May we choose God. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, you never give up on us. You ever call us to living and walking as your children, reflecting your goodness into the world. Help us to change the world and its ways, making space for and truly valuing all people. Amen.


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Lead in Love

Reading: John 20: 19-23

Verse 19: “When the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and said, ‘Peace be with you!'”

Following his death the disciples gathered together in their small community and were present to one another. The recent events left them feeling powerless and vulnerable. There was a sense of fear hanging over them. If this could happen to him, it could happen to any of them. If the Jews, the ones filled with power and fears of their own, could flex their muscles and cause this to happen to Jesus, the disciples were well within their reach.

Fear is certainly present in our society today. COVID has created many: fear of dying, fear of sickness, fear or losing a business, fear of financial failure, fear of isolation… Fear is also very present right now in some of our cities and in some of our social groups. Another senseless death has sent another ripple of fear through affected communities. The ripple had become a flood of emotion and response in some places. Even though there is no place for hate in God’s kingdom, it remains something that humanity is struggling with in this world.

As the disciples gathered on the day of Jesus’ resurrection, locked behind some closed doors, he came and said, “Peace be with you”! They were overjoyed. Speaking directly into their fear he said, “I am sending you. Receive the Holy Spirit”. Jesus encourages them to walk into the world tinged with hate and oppression as people filled with love and power. The Spirit would be the source of love and power and strength and hope. It was a presence the disciples would need as they set out to transform the world.

The Holy Spirit continues to lead with love. It is a love for all people, not just for some. It is a love that leads to compassion and understanding and empathy and unity. It is a love that is both culture blind and colorblind. Just yesterday I read a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. He said, “Protest is the voice of the powerless”. Yes, often it is. The root cause is powerlessness. Feeling powerless leads to feeling hopeless and helpless. In moving forward may the disciples of Jesus Christ continue to allow the Holy Spirit to lead in love. We with power must choose to be voices for those without. For the healing of our communities and of our world, may God’s love lead the way. May it start with each of us.

Prayer: Lord God, the Holy Spirit empowered the first disciples to transform their world. It began with them loving you above all else and then spread to loving one another. The community was based upon love and grace and mercy and compassion and justice. Their love changed the world. Make it happen again, Lord. Empower your disciples today to be change agents once again, leading the way across divides and through barriers. Let love be our guide, bringing healing and restoration. May it begin with me, O God. Amen.